The Return Home
by Asj Johnson
Summary: Zuko finally catches the Avatar, Aang, and returns home to the fire nation with him. But will the prince's return be as happy as he thinks? Read the last paragraph of chapter one before judging it!
1. The End of Exile

**Chapter One: The End of Exile**

Zuko was smiling. He stood at the front of his boat, eager to reach his destination. In his red fire nation uniform, Zuko stared ahead, waiting for the sight of land. The wind blew gracefully through the black tuft of hair, which was pulled behind the ex-prince's head. The strong wind felt good. It meant they were moving forward. The stronger the wind, the faster they were moving, and the sooner they'll get there.

"Let me go!" Aang demanded. Zuko turned his head, a frown appearing on his lips as his brow furrowed. Behind him, the avatar was tied to a large wooden oval, supported by the cabin of the ship. He tried ripping through the ropes now binding his hands, but again with no avail.

Spoken in a hoarse voice, "Be quiet, Avatar," was Zuko's only words before he resumed his daydreams of what is to come.

Soon, land appeared on the horizon. When the ship landed, Zuko stepped off, onto fire nation property. "I wish to talk to Fire Lord Ozai," Zuko told the people on the coast as he gestured toward his ship, where Aang was still fighting to loosen the ropes around his arms and legs. The people agreed to take him to his father and Zuko turned toward his crew. "Take him with us," he told them. Two crewmembers took the heavy wooden oval down from the cabin of the ship and wheeled Aang off the boat. Aang widened his eyes, having realized that they expected him to stay on the oblong wheel.

"Hey! Can't you get me off of this thing!" Aang complained. They only smirked as they rolled him toward the palace. Aang was beginning to feel sick from spinning.

As they reached the doors, a guard asked, "Who goes here?"

"Zuko, the son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. I wish to enter the palace." The guard looked behind Zuko to see the Avatar throwing up on the ground. After having given a distasteful look directed at Aang, he and the guard beside him stepped aside. The guard who was talking gestured for the group to enter.

"Make yourself at home, prince Zuko. Your father will come shortly," a person said after they entered the castle. Zuko nodded at the person and went into another room. While Zuko waited, he took one of the books from the wall of the room and opened it.

"Do you really expect Father to welcome you back with _opened arms_?"

Zuko closed the book when hearing the voice and turned to see Azula, his sister, standing behind him. "Why not?" he asked her, unfazed.

"He only _gave_ you that mission of capturing the Avatar to get you out of the way. He didn't expect you to actually _find_ him," she told him bluntly.

"You're wrong," Zuko told her confidently, not even looking at her as he put the book back on the self. Azula got upset that her brother wasn't listening to her.

"He _won't_ take you back," she told him. Zuko didn't say anything.

"Zuko!"

Zuko and Azula turned toward the doorway, where their father was standing with a smile on his face. The Fire Lord walked over to Zuko and put his arm around his son. "We can talk about old times over tea," he said and began to walk with Zuko to another room.

"You always lie," Zuko whispered over his shoulder with a smile. As he looked behind him, he saw his sister standing with her arms crossed, her eyebrows furrowed deeply in anger.

---

Zuko and his father were sitting on cushions on the floor, a pot of tea between them. Zuko took a sip from his cup.

"I'm glad you've finally captured the Avatar, my son. I hope you know that I only banished you because of the laws. If I had total say in the matter, I never would have made you participate in the Agni Kai. I'm sorry you had to endure this disgrace..." The father said and lightly touched the large red scar on the side of his son's face. Zuko closed his eyes.

"I know..." Zuko told him softly before opening his eyes.

"Did you know that you were always my favorite child?" his father asked him, equally soft. Zuko turned his head toward his father in surprise. Without taking his eyes off the Fire Lord, Zuko put his cup down, stood, and rushed toward his father, embracing him. Zuko accidentally knocked his father's cup out of his hands when putting his arms around the man, and the tea was spilt on the floor, but neither of them cared.

"I love you, father," Zuko told him in a wavering voice, hugging Ozai tightly with his eyes closed, tears running down his cheeks.

---

Zuko woke up. It was dark, but a full moon was over his head, giving just enough light to see. Zuko's once pony-tailed hair was now nothing but a messy crew cut and his clothes no longer of the fire nation. He saddled his animal.

_'The only way I can return home is to seize the Avatar... I have to prove to my father that I am _not_ a failure,'_ Zuko thought as he gathered up the few belongings he had. As he rode through the trees, he thought, _'I've been following the Avatar for over a week - every night making my camp less then two miles from his - waiting for the right time. I'm sure that my father will forgive me for everything if I can just capture the Avatar for him...'_

---

**I'm trying to write this one in past tense, which is kind'a annoying to write in. I mean, who talks in past tense? If you're talking to your mother, would you say something like "I loved you, Mom"? She'd wonder if you quit loving her for some reason or something. Well, If you see any present tense that shouldn't be there, then you can tell me and I'll either cuss you out or fix it. Or both. Seriously... tell me if I have any mistakes.**

**There's two people who I'd like to mention. **Elenea Galad** and **LadyPhoenix99**. I had a different idea for a Zuko fanfic, but it didn't work out. When I started reading Elenea Galad****'s "Brotherly Love" fanfiction, I thought of this idea, so half the credit belongs to her. And as for Lady Phoenix, I showed her what I had gotten done when I had a few paragraphs written and asked her opinion about it.**


	2. Through the Trees

**Chapter Two: Through the Trees**

Zuko moved swiftly toward the Avatar's camp by the light of the full moon. He didn't allow himself to think about anything besides his present task so he wouldn't distract himself and overlook any detail. When he got within a fourth of a mile from the camp, he slowed down his animal, tied its reins to a tree, and continued by foot. When he saw an opening ahead, he stopped for a second. Through the trees, he caught a glimpse of a tent made of stone. _'That's right... They have an earthbender in the group now,'_ Zuko thought and began walking very slowly and carefully into the camp. He found his passport home asleep on the ground, a sleeping bad behind his head for a pillow. It made sense for him not to be in the sleeping bag - this was a warm area of the world. The boy had a shaved head and blue arrows tattooed on his head and hands. A staff was lying beside him. Zuko quickly took a piece of red cloth from his pocket to use as a gag. Aang woke up when it was stuffed in his mouth and was being tied around the back of his neck. Aang started to get up, but Zuko took the ropes he had on his side and tied Aang's hands together with one so he couldn't Bend. Aang jumped to his feet and tried kicking Zuko, but the exiled prince caught Aang's foot. Aang widened his eyes and a second later Zuko pulled on the foot. Aang's upper back landed hard on the ground.

Toph's eyes snapped open.

Aang moaned in pain through his gag. Zuko tied Aang's feet together with another rope while the airbender was upside down.

"Stop!"

Zuko stopped and turned his head, still holding Aang up by his feet. The blind earthbender was staring in his direction, her ice blue eyes filled with anger. Aang said something, but it was rendered unrecognizable by the gag. Zuko swung Aang over his shoulder and started to run into the woods surrounding the camp. Toph concentrated on the feel of the teen's footprints as they hit the ground - mapping out his path and speed. She lifted one of her hands, causing a wall of rock to rise. Zuko ran into it, not having had enough time to react.

"Toph, what's happening!" Katara asked when she peeked out from her tent. Toph turned around.

"Where's Aang!" Sokka asked her after noticing the young Avatar's pillow and air-bending staff still on the ground. Toph pointed toward the woods, answering both questions at once. Zuko had gone around Toph's wall by this time and the brother and sister watched as the figure moved through the trees. The three of them took off after the kidnapper, but they lost sight of him after a couple minutes.

"I can't feel him anymore. This was the last place I sensed him step," Toph told them, pointing at the ground below their feet. They stood there for a second, trying to figure out what to do next. A slight breeze blew through Katara's hair and the leaves above their heads shuttered.

"The trees..." Katara said. The other two looked toward her questioningly. She looked above her head at the thick canopy of leaves above them. "He went into the trees so we couldn't track him," Katara told them. They looked around the treetops, but couldn't see anyone.

"That makes him _impossible_ to track!" Sokka exclaims, upset. Zuko watched them from a tree several feet away. Aang was laying belly-down on a branch close to the one Zuko was crouching on.

"Toph, did you see-" Katara began when Toph gave her a look, "I mean... Could you tell who it was who took Aang? Can you describe them?" Katara asked.

"No. He didn't say anything, so I can't tell you about his voice, and I didn't really notice much about him, either. Aang was gagged, and probably tied up, since he didn't fight back. I would say his kidnapper has had some experience in a chase, since he had such good footing. - He didn't misstep _once_. It could have been an earthbender, but I doubt it. I think it was a boy, but I could be wrong. And he weighs somewhere between a hundred and ten and a hundred and forty pounds," Toph told them.

"Was there anyone else around?" Sokka asked.

"Not that I know of," Toph said.

"Well, we wouldn't be able to see whoever it was in the dark. I suggest we head back to camp and search the woods with Appa first thing in the morning. He can't get very far on foot," Katara said. They began to walk back toward camp. Zuko put Aang back over his shoulder and made a u-turn, headed in the same direction Aang's friends were going. He kept a safe distance from the group as he jumped from tree to tree. _'Running off in the opposite direction I came was a good plan... Now the Avatar's friends will be searching in the wrong direction,'_ Zuko thought as he made his way back to his animal. When finding it, Zuko untied it and laid Aang out on the saddle in front of him before riding through the forest as fast as the animal could go.

---

Katara was lying awake, unable to get back to sleep. As she looked up at the moon and stars with her bright blue eyes, she thought, _'What if we can't find him? How could Aang fulfill his destiny...? What if they're torturing him right now?'_

Sokka and Toph were also awake. Sokka kept wondering who could have done it. _'Whoever it was must have been after Aang. We aren't missing any supplies, so they're not robbers, and they didn't seem to be after the rest of us. The question is, 'who would want to kidnap Aang?' The fire nation would be the most likely candidates - either them or someone working for them. First person who comes to mind is Azula, but if it that was who it was, she would have stayed and fought instead of running away - and I think I'd know if she used that weird blue fire. He probably wasn't a Bender, since he didn't even try to fight...'_ Sokka thought. Then he confidently thought, _'I think it was tree-people. In the morning we'll find tree houses all over these woods.'_

Katara sat up. She saw Appa a few feet away and walked over to him, careful not to make any noise, since she thought her companions were asleep.

"I see you can't get to sleep, either," she whispered to the large flying bison. She stroked the side of its head. _'Since we can't get to sleep anyhow, I might as well look around the forest for a few hours...'_ She thought as she got on top of Appa. She whispered "Yeep, yeep," and they were off.

Toph smiled. She could get some sleep now, knowing they're doing all they can to get Aang back.


	3. Lost and Not Found

**Chapter Three: Lost and Not Found**

When Aang opened his eyes, it was morning. His wrists and ankles were still tied, along with an extra rope tied around his knees, but his gag was gone.

"You thirsty?" Zuko asked while holding out a canteen.

"You really _are_ good, aren't you?" Aang asked.

"You're not worth anything _dead_," Zuko replied coldly. Aang just smiled as he clumsily took the canteen in his still confined hands.

---

"Wake up, sleepy-head," Sokka said while he was shaking his sister to consciousness. Katara glared at Sokka, a frown on her face and bags under her eyes. She unscrewed the container she carries water in and water-wiped him in the face. Then she lied back down and buried her face in her pillow. "Ka-_tar_-rah! You have to wake up so we can search the forest for Aang!" Sokka said as he was shaking her.

"He's not there, so let me _sleep_!" Katara said, only half awake.

"So you didn't find him last night?" Toph asked, having woken up without them noticing and was standing behind them.

"Last night?" Sokka asked and turned toward Toph. "_O_-kay! Why are you two keeping secrets from me!" Sokka demanded.

"We're not," Toph answered simply. "I sensed her and Appa leave last night."

"Ooh..." Sokka said.

"You two can search for him while I finish sleeping, okay?" Katara asked, still with her head in the pillow. They decided that would be all right, since Toph could use her earthbending if they find him in the forest. And if they couldn't find him, they would have to go back to camp anyway, because they wouldn't know where he went. When they were walking toward Appa, the giant bison yawned.

---

"It's time to go," Zuko said. He gathered his things and then swung them and Aang onto his animal.

While leaving the camp, Aang curiously asked, "Where are we going?"

"The docks," Zuko replied without looking at him.

---

"Do you see him anywhere?" Toph asked.

"No! I still don't see him. If I do, I'll tell you," Sokka said. Toph rolled her eyes and sat down cross-legged.

"Can't you fly any lower, Appa?" Sokka asked after a minute. Appa moaned in reply and went about a foot lower, the trees barely missing his large body.

"Hey, I think I see him!" Sokka exclaimed. Toph looked up. "No wait... It was a monkey." Toph looked back down again. "There he is! No... That's not him either..."

"Just face it - we're not going to find him!" Toph yelled.

"But we have more forest to cover. We're sure to find him soon if we keep-"

"No! Katara already searched the forest and he wasn't there!" Toph said angrily. "Whoever took him must have left the forest."

---

Katara was making lunch when they returned, a pot beside her with water boiling.

"Did you find Aang?" She asked hopefully. Sokka shook his head.

"Toph doesn't think he's in the forest anymore," Sokka told her.

"I guess we need to figure out where they're headed, then," Katara said. "It would be easier if we knew who it was..."

"I already know who it was," Sokka told them. They both looked at him, waiting for an answer. "It was tree-people. I mean, that guy jumped in the trees! He _has_ to be a tree-person!"

"Sokka, if it was "tree-people" we would have seen evidence of them while searching the woods!" Katara yelled.

"Fine. Then who do _you_ think it was?" Sokka asked with his arms crossed.

"I don't know... But whoever it was, they're probably planning on getting a reward for him from the fire nation."

---

Zuko dropped a few gold coins into a man's hand. He looked toward the wooden boat resting in the water beside them. _'It might not be much, but it will work.'_


	4. The Stowaway

**Chapter Four: The Stowaway**

"We have to go to the Fire Nation," Toph announced.

"What! Do you know how dangerous that is!" Sokka asked.

"I'm with Toph for once," Katara said. "We have to rescue Aang, and whoever has him is headed toward Fire Nation territory."

"We can pull it off," Toph told Sokka. "Katara can waterbend, I know earthbending, and you..." Sokka looked at her expectedly, "well, I'm sure we can figure out _something_ you can do." Sokka frowned.

"Well, I _guess_ we can go... What we need is a plan!" Sokka said happily. "And I'm just the guy to think of one!"

---

Aang was still tied up and now lying on his side in the old wooden boat. It creaked loudly in response to a slight change in direction. The room he was in was dark and he could barely see anything.

_'I hope Katara, Sokka, and Toph are okay. I wonder if they know where I am...'_ Aang thought. A rat jumped to the floor beside Aang's face. He widened his eyes and yelled, "Ahh!" in surprise. As a reflex, he used his airbending. He was lifted off the ground for a second before he flipped over and hit the dusty floor. Now on his back, he had no choice but to stare up at the ceiling. _'I wish Zuko untied these ropes before throwing me down here...'_

---

_'I can't believe I finally caught the Avatar...'_ Zuko thought. He was at the wheel of the ship, a compass in one hand. _'It seemed almost too easy... Why couldn't I capture him before this? Whatever the reason, I'm glad I can finally go home. My father is sure to take the bounty off my head when I bring him the Avatar...'_

Behind Zuko, someone was watching the prince from a window onboard the boat.

_'I'm afraid things aren't going to go as you plan, Prince Zuko,'_ the person thought with an accent.

---

Appa swerved suddenly, which caused his passengers to let out surprised yells and need to hold on tightly.

"Sokka, do you even know which way the Fire Nation _is_!" Katara demanded after Appa leveled out. "Let _me_ drive!"

"No way, Katara! Driving is a boy thing. Besides, I have the map," Sokka said and lifted the map above his head so Katara could see it. The wind tore it from his fingers. "Ahh! The map!" Sokka yelled, wide-eyed. He got up and chased after it as it drifted in the direction of Appa's tail. He grabbed at it several times but wasn't able to get a good hold on it. From her seat on Appa, Katara reached up and snatched the paper. She glanced at the map for a second.

"While driving, there are a few rules you need to follow," Katara said while she stood up. "Rule one, don't let go of the reins! Rule two, don't lose the map! And rule three, hold the map right side up!" she yelled in his face. Toph snickered. Her hand on his head, Katara pushed Sokka into a sitting position and marched up to the driver's place.

"Sokka, you're better off back here, anyway. _Flying_ is a girl thing," Toph whispered with a smirk. Sokka snorted at the remark, his arms crossed.

---

When the door opened, rats scurried into the corners of the large, dark room. The person walked down the noisy wooden stairs with a torch in their hand. They lit a few torches along the walls when they got to the bottom of the steps.

"Who's there!" Aang asked, having noticed the noise and light. His voice echoed slightly as it reached the far wall.

"Don't worry, I mean you no harm," the person said in their accent as they walked across the floor. Aang remember hearing the person's voice somewhere before.

"Why did you come down here?" Aang asked suspiciously.

"Because I'm lonely and want some companionship..." the person said with exaggerated sadness.

"Okay," Aang said with a wide smile as the person got to where Aang was lying.

"You wouldn't happen to know any games, would you?" the person asked Aang.

"I know how to play _lots_ of games! Just name one!" Aang said happily. The person grinned. "But... I don't know if I can play with my hands tied..." Aang said, having just remembered the handicap.

"Hmm... If I untie your hands, will you promise not to escape?"

"Airbender's honor," Aang replied. The person pushed Aang up to a sitting position and began untying the ropes around his wrists.

---

_'It's been quiet,'_ Zuko thought. _'_Too_ quiet...'_ Zuko locked the wheel in position and headed toward the lower level of the ship.

---

Aang looked up from the game. "Did you hear something?"

"Hmm?" the person asked and looked up at Aang questioningly. There was a distant squeaking noise.

"Someone's coming!" Aang said. The person gathered up the game pieces and started tying Aang's hands back together.

"Don't let him know I'm on board!" the person whispered to Aang. The person ducked behind some crates and Aang used his airbending to blow out the lights with his breath as the door creaked open.

Zuko carried a plate on one hand and held a flame in the other as he walked down the staircase. Whenever he came to an unlit torch on the wall, he would light it by shooting a small flame from his fingertip. When he got to Aang, the room was well lit. Zuko checked the ropes around Aang's ankles, wrists, and knees and found them to be tight enough.

"What have you been doing down here?" Zuko asked suspiciously.

Aang glanced to his right, where the person was hiding, before he said, "Can't I at least meditate while I'm down here!"

"Fine," Zuko said. Before he got up, he remembered the plate he sat to the side while he was checking the ropes. "Here. It's your diner."


	5. Zuko’s Arrival

**Chapter Five: Zuko's Arrival**

_'Finally... The Fire Nation,'_ Zuko thought as he looked toward the land that was coming up from the horizon. When he neared the continent, Fire Nation ships surrounded his little boat.

A general on the ship ahead of him called, "State your business here!" And after getting a closer look at the captain of the small boat, the general gasped in surprise. "Zuko!..." he said aloud after he noticed the scar covering one side of the teen's face. The general had heard of the exiled, traitorous prince - sent to search the seas for the missing Avatar years ago and having failed the mission. The boy on the ship bore no resemblance to a fire nation prince, though. His attire, those dirty rags, was nothing like the pristine red uniforms worn by the army or the royal red clothing of royalty. And his hair was disgracefully cut - more like some earth kingdom urchin then a prince of the important _fire_ nation. Why was he here?

"I have the Avatar! Let me pass!" Zuko called to the general. The man narrowed his amber eyes while he considered Zuko's request. Zuko waited, his eyes being narrowed as well. The general's ship moved aside and Zuko became optimistic as he steered through the opening.

"Haven't you learned yet, nephew?..." the boat's stowaway whispered to himself.

Zuko tied his boat at the dock, and then went down the stairway on the ship to get Aang. Like before, he used his firebending to illuminate the path.

Aang noticed the distant glow of fire and watched as Zuko neared. After Zuko was close enough to hear, Aang asked, "Why did we stop?"

"Because we're here," Zuko said as he picked up the boy. Right after stepping ashore with Aang across his shoulder, the general and several lower soldiers began attacking Zuko. Surprised, he dodged several blasts.

"What's going on!" Zuko demanded as he crossed his arms over his chest to cancel out a ball of fire that was directed toward him. Aang just watched wide-eyed from Zuko's shoulder.

"Why let an outlaw like you have all the glory of capturing the Avatar when I can capture both you _and_ him?" the general asked and pointed toward Aang. "Then _I'll_ get the reward." Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko noticed a beam of fire coming his way. He unsheathed the twin swords he was carrying to his side and combined the swords with his firebending to wound the soldier who made the attack. They exchanged blows several times afterward. During one point of the fight, Zuko turned too quickly and Aang fell off his shoulder. With his tongue stuck out in concentration, Aang moved below the group of firebenders - crawling like an inchworm, since his arms and legs were still tied. Everyone was too busy fighting to notice the Avatar getting away and Aang found a place to hide away from the stray fireballs.

Zuko injured another soldier. Now there were only three left - four counting the general.

A few feet from Zuko and the soldiers, Aang lied in some tall grass and waited.

Zuko used his swords to block one firebending attack, while the general attacked from the other side and made Zuko grind his teeth in pain. The teen swung around to get revenge for the general's attack.

While Zuko was concentrating on the general, the stowaway appeared next to one of the soldiers. The soldier gasped.

"I-" was all the soldier could get out before he was knocked unconscious.

"Haugh! Haugh! Haugh!" Zuko yelled as he firebended through his kicks and punches. The general blocked Zuko's moves repeatedly, but the teen kept fighting in a fit of anger. The general wasn't quick enough to block one of the attacks and he moaned between clenched teeth. He didn't block Zuko's next attack either, being too preoccupied with the injury. He yelled out in pain after Zuko hit the same spot as the first time. Zuko went for a third hit, but the general was able to block it with one fist while holding his side with his other hand. Zuko knocked him out after a fourth blow made through the double swords. Zuko kept the position of his last attack, just in case the general would jump back to his feet. The outstretched swords were steaming from the fire that had traveled through them. When seeing that the general wasn't going to wake up for awhile, Zuko lined up his two swords and put them back in the sheath on his side.

"A good general wouldn't let their guard down after receiving a blow..." Zuko said to himself while looking toward the general that was spiraled out on the ground. When he looked around him, he noticed that there weren't anymore soldiers.

"The Avatar..." he said when he realized Aang was missing. He looked around on the ground for him. _'Is he hiding somewhere, or did a couple of those soldiers take him?...'_


	6. They Come in Threes

**Chapter Six: They Come in Threes**

"Put your hands above your head!"

Zuko raised his hands, noticing the soldiers that were surrounding him. There were too many and he no longer had a reason to fight - not without the Avatar. You would have to admit, Zuko didn't look too good with all those soldiers lying unconscious around him.

---

"Ahh!"

Sokka pulled quickly on the reins to avoid a firebending attack. The ball of fire just missed them.

"How are we going to get past them!" Katara asked her brother. The two have been taking turns driving and it just happened to be Sokka's turn as they neared fire nation territory.

"Maybe we can go around somehow!" Sokka called to Katara as he swerved in the opposite direction to avoid another attack.

"No. The fire nation would have troops on all sides. The best thing we can do is get in as quickly as possible and lie low until we find Avatar-Boy," Toph said calmly.

---

"Get in there," a man said as he shoved Zuko into one of the cells. The gray metal bars of the door clattered against the ones making up the cell wall as the door was being shut. Zuko stared through the bars. His hands were bound and his shirt had a long tear in it from his battle with the greedy general and his troops.

"You'll remain here until the fire lord decides what your punishment will be."

Zuko grabbed the bars of his cell. He pressed his face against the door and yelled, "I _told_ you! The only reason I came was to hand over the Avatar!"

"Then where is he?" the man said with a smirk. When Zuko didn't say anything, he walked down the hallway.

_'So no one turned the Avatar in yet... That could mean he's still out there somewhere...'_ Zuko thought.

---

"Sokka! Over there!" Katara said while pointing toward a cave. Fire was still being shot at them, even though they made it over land. Sokka steered toward the cave, diving through the trees surrounding it. The solders couldn't see where Appa went because of the forest, so the attacks stopped.

"Land!" Toph said after she jumped off Appa. She lied belly-down on the ground and Bended the ground around her fingers and toes with a smile on her face.

Katara glanced toward Toph. "It _has_ been awhile since we last landed..." She said to herself. "So, how are we going to find Aang? We still don't know who kidnapped him or where they're taking him. We don't even know if they're here yet..."

"I told you, Katara, that I would think of a plan," Sokka said as he was getting off Appa.

"Yeah, and what is this brilliant 'plan' of yours?" Katara asked with a frown.

"Well... We could find some fire nation clothes and blend in while looking for Aang," Sokka said while he walked toward Katara.

"And where are we going to _find_ these clothes?" Katara asked skeptically.

"Not _where_ - who," Toph told them, still lying on the ground. Katara and Sokka turned toward Toph. "Someone's coming."

---

Two boys and a girl were walking in the forest.

"I think it landed over there," the tallest boy said to the others.

"I... I don't think we should be doing this..." the girl said.

"Aw, c'mon, 'Scotch, don't ya want ta see what that thing was?" the tallest boy asked.

"What if it was some type of alien ship...? Then the aliens might shoot us with ray guns or eat our brains or somethin'..." the younger boy said.

"Oh _no_! I don't _want_ my brains ate!" 'Scotch shouted and started crying.

"Shudup, will ya! There's no aliens! You're scarin' my sister with that story!" the older boy said and punched the other boy. He turned to the girl. "Whatever we find, _I'll_ protect ya."

When the trio got to the cave where Appa landed, they didn't see anything.

"But I saw it land right _here_!" the older boy exclaimed.

"Then where is it?" the other boy asked.

"Looking for us?"

The three turned around to see Sokka, Katara, and Toph standing behind them.

"What do you want!" the younger boy asked.

"Your clothes," Zokka replied.

"What! No way!" the tall boy shouted. "Get behind me," he told the other two. He turned back to Sokka. "You'll have ta fight us for 'em!"

"Fine! _I'll_ be your opponent!" Toph told him.

"_You_!" he said and laughed. "I don't fight little girls!" He bent over and slapped his knee in laugher.

Toph's brow furrowed as he laughed. "I'll show you who's a _little girl_..." she said. She Bended the ground beneath the boy and made him fall on his back.

"So you're a earthbender, eh? Fine. I'll fight you..." he said as he got up. He made his hands into fists and both fists were surrounded by fire. "You take the girl in blue," he told the boy behind him. Then he turned toward 'Scotch. "The boy doesn't look very strong - I'm sure you can take him."

"Hey!" Sokka yelled.

"The battle begins..."


	7. Hopscotch

**Chapter Seven: Hopscotch**

Toph and her opponent were evenly matched. Katara and the other boy were also in a stalemate, but the battle has only begun a few minutes ago and the tables could change drastically. Meanwhile, Sokka and the girl haven't started yet. They've been staring at each other.

"Okay, little girl, why don't you just surrender now, before you get hurt?" Sokka asked.

"Don't call me 'little girl' - I go by the name of 'Scotch. Secondly, I _know_ I can take _you_."

"Sokka rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, whatever. I'll let you have the first move, just to be fair."

'Scotch smiled broadly. "Now to set up the playing field."

"Playing field?" Sokka asked, surprised.

"My nickname's 'Hopscotch' for a reason."

"Hopscotch?! You've got to be kidding me!" Sokka said in disbelief - wanting, for one, a real opponent, and secondly, not wanting to play an embarrassing kiddy game. 'Scotch pointed her hands toward the ground in front of her. A second later, flames shot up from the ground. Sokka's eyes widened in surprise. The lines of fire died down to a height of about four inches, revealing the outlines of squares.

"You go first," the girl said.

---

Zuko was sitting in the corner of the cell with his head down, when he heard something. He looked up as he listened to the sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway toward him. Zuko stood when the guard stopped in front of his cell and the teen waited expectedly for the guard to say why he had come.

"Your punishment has been decided," the guard said. Zuko looked toward the man, waiting. "You will be hung tomorrow at dawn."

"What?!" Zuko demanded. "I demand to be able to talk to my father!" Zuko yelled as he grabbed the bards of his cell.

"Heh," the man said with a smirk. "You stopped being royalty the day you were exiled," he sneered. The bars underneath Zuko's hands begun to hiss as they heated up from Zuko's grip.

"You won't get away with this. My father will have your head for sentencing his only son to death," Zuko hissed, his eyes narrowed while looking at the guard.

"You fool! Fire Lord Ozai personally decided your fate!"

"Lair!" Zuko screamed and shot a ball of fire toward the guard's head. The man easily dodged it and smirked, seeing the fury in Zuko's face. He chuckled while walking away, leaving Zuko alone again.

"Errah!" Zuko said as he slammed a large ball of fire into the thick gray wall. He breathed heavily as he started to calm down.

---

"Um... To tell you the truth, I've never learned how to play hopscotch. So... I guess we can't do this, after all," Sokka said with a smile, hoping he won't have to play.

"You'll learn fast," the girl stated. "Besides, _my_ game has a few new twists to it, anyway," she said and smiled evilly.

"First, you go as far as possible and back. Then I have to go at least as far as you have. If I go farther, I get a point, but if I can't go as far as you, you get the point. If either of us messes up - by stepping outside a square or by using more than one foot per square... or by skipping a square - the other gets the point. Let's make this quick - first to get three points wins."

"Fine. This looks easy, anyhow. All I have to do is make it to the end, turn around, and come back, in order to keep you from gaining a point, right?"

"That's correct," 'Scotch said.

Sokka walked up to the playing field. _'Let's see... One foot per square and don't miss a square... Okay,'_ he thought. He grabbed his left foot with his left hand so it won't touch the ground accidentally and hopped the first two squares that way. When landing on the second square, he lost his balance and frantically waved his arms to try steadying himself. He let out a sigh of relief when he regained his balance without his other foot touching the ground. The next space had two squares side by side and Sokka used both feet for that one. He eventually got back to the starting point.

"Ha! That was just _too_ easy!" Sokka said excitedly, a big grin on his face. "I totally rock at this game!"

'Scotch rolled her eyes. "Whatever..." she said and then hopped to the end and back herself without once losing her balance. Sokka could only stare open-mouthed at her, knowing she had finished at least twice as fast as he had.

"Lucky turn..." Sokka mumbled.

"Okay, since we each went the same distance, neither of us gets a point this round. Now, for round two, I'll go first and you second," 'Scotch said. She snapped her fingers and the field gained several extra squares - now being twice as long as it was before. One space didn't even have a square. Sokka could only watch in disbelief as 'Scotch took her turn. She hopped over the blank space and landed perfectly on the next square, then after making it to the end, a set of squares, she hopped back to the beginning just as easily.


	8. Invisible Flame

**Chapter Eight: Invisible Flame**

Katara countered a ball of fire with a ball of water from her canteen. Steam was all that was left afterward.

_'If I don't defeat this brat soon, I'll run out of water...'_ Katara thought worriedly.

Close by, Toph was smiling as she and the oldest boy fought. He raised his right hand toward Toph, his middle and index fingers extended. If someone looked closely, they would notice a rippling effect, like the heat escaping from a hot roof or from above a fire, but otherwise his attack was invisible. It snaked around to behind Toph and just a second before the attack reached her, a wall of rock busted up from the ground and shielded her.

"Again?!" the boy demanded. "How can ya see my attacks?! They're completely invisible!"

"I guess I should have told you before we started. I'm blind," Toph told him.

"That makes even _less_ sense!"

"So you really don't know, then... Fire puts off heat," Toph replied with a smirk. The boy widened his eyes in realization, now understanding that she can feel the heat from his attacks before they come in contact with her directly. He smiles.

"I'm glad I've the pleasure 'a battlin' ya. They call me Vissie, by the way."

"My name's Toph. Nice to met you."

---

"Are you sure you should go back on duty so soon, sir?"

"Yes! Now, out of my way!" the general demanded of the nurse. He stood, a grimace flashing across his face from a sudden pain in his bandaged side. He quickly masked his look of pain and started walking toward the door.

"Is there a reason for your sudden departure, general?"

With wide eyes, the man turned to see the Fire Lord standing behind him. "It's my duty to guard the city, my lord. As long as I can stand, I should be fighting for the Fire Nation," he said and bowed to Fire Lord Ozai. Ozai let the general leave, but watched him go with skeptical eyes, wondering what he was really up to.

---

Sokka got most of the way down the playing field. The next space was the one missing a square.

"Are you going to go or what?! You're holding up the game!" 'Scotch called.

"I'm going, I'm going!" Sokka called back. He attempted the jump and his right foot landed successfully on the square, he was seriously unbalanced, but he regained his balance after a few seconds. Then he noticed that his left foot was on the ground outside the square. He quickly grabbed his left foot again and redid the jump successfully, then made it back to the start in record time while saying, "Wait! I can do it! I can do it!"

"_No_ redoes!" Once you mess up, you don't get a second chance!" 'Scotch said. "Now I have one point and you have zero." Fire begun writing their names on the ground close to the starting point. Under 'Scotch's name a 1 appeared and under Sokka's, a 0. "You begin round three," Scotch said and snapped her fingers. Now the playing field was a total of sixteen spaces in length, and there were three more blockless spaces. Sokka stared at what he now had to complete - knowing that making it to the end and back was his only way to keep from losing.

---

The stowaway from Zuko's boat had the same idea as Aang's friends. As he put on the finishing touches of the Fire Nation uniform, the robbed soldier came to and mumbled something through the piece of tape that was covering his mouth. Now tied up and only wearing a pair of boxers, the man didn't look much like a member of the fire nation army.

_'It's nice to wear a uniform again... Sometimes I miss it...'_ the stowaway thought sadly and sighed. He walked over to the soldier and took the tape off his mouth. "Are you going to tell me where Prince Zuko was taken?"

"He's no longer a Fire Nation prince! _You_ know that! He's a traitorous-" the soldier got out before the tape was replaced.

_'And to think I used to consider us as friends... Oh well... I have a pretty good idea of where Zuko is being held, anyway.'_

---

Vissie dodged a attack of boulders and then extended both of his hands to surround Toph with a invisible string of fire. When she felt a drop of sweat running down her cheek, Toph immediately earthbended herself above the fire on a pillar of earth and bended several rocksicles toward the boy. Vissie just barely missed one of them.

"You're good..." he said with a smile.

"I know I am," Toph replied proudly.

---

Aang was still in the tall grass, trying to get the ropes off of himself. He noticed a small stream close by. He watched as the water ran over a deteriorating ice cream cone, slowly washing parts of it downstream. He tried waterbending some of the liquid over to him. Moving his fingers in order to navigate the small amount of water was making his wrists hurt, but he knew he had to get the ropes off somehow. He pushed the water up and down over the ropes that were over his wrists, trying to make them erode away.


	9. Victory in Defeat

**Chapter Nine: Victory in Defeat**

Sokka made it over the first blank space, but the three new ones were harder. The next square, a single one, was to the left of the one Sokka was currently standing on and was after a jump. The next few squares seemed more like islands, since they were surrounded by blank spaces. Sokka took a deep breath and jumped. He barely made it on the square and just after letting out his held breath, he noticed the pain in his right foot - it was touching the fiery boarder and his shoe had caught on fire.

"Hot! Hot! Hot!" he yelled as he jumped around, trying to make his foot stop burning. When he got back to the starting point, he dropped to the ground and grabbed his foot, beginning to frantically blow on it.

"That was pure luck...' 'Scotch mumbled.

"Huh?" Sokka asked, looking up. "Hey! I made it!" he said joyously.

'Scotch stepped up to the starting point.

---

Katara glanced down at her canteen. _'I don't have any water left...'_ she thought. Katara dodged the boy's next attack, but there was another right afterward that was hard to miss. It scorched the end of her braid. "_No one_ touches my hair and gets away with it!" she yelled. All the steam from their battle had put moisture in the air and she bended water from the area, turning it to ice and freezing the boy in place.

"It's... It's so cold... Y-you win... Just let me go..." he begged. Katara let him go and bended the water into her canteen.

---

Vissie shot invisible flames up toward Toph, but Toph kept blocking the attacks before they reached her by shoving out ledges of rock from her pillar to act as shields.

_'She can block every attack I make... But, I wonder if she can block more then one at a time...'_ Vissie thought. He tried shooting out attacks as quickly as he could and in different areas. Toph tried canceling out a few and dodged others.

There was a high-pitched shriek and Vissie watched as his sister mysteriously fell to the ground. He knew it was one of his invisible attacks that shoved her down. " 'Scotch!" Vissie yelled. He rushed over to her playing field. The other boy watched wide-eyed.

"It hurts so much..." 'Scotch said while tears were running down her cheeks from the pain.

"I'm sorry, Sis! I didn't mean to! I didn't want anyone ta get hurt!" Vissie said. Katara sadly watched the scene. A few feet away, Toph listened, too.

"I-I'm okay..." she said as she started to get up. She gave her brother a fake smile, trying to make him feel better. "Now Sokka gets a point..."

"No. I surrender. You're just a girl - you shouldn't have to fight like this. You even got hurt!" Sokka yelled at her.

"And... I surrender, too," Vissie said. Toph glanced toward the teen in surprise. "I was the one who got her hurt, and I don't want ta do this ta anyone else," Vissie said. His dark hair was covering his eyes.

Katara walked over to 'Scotch. "Where does it hurt?" she asked the girl. 'Scotch sniffed and pointed to her arm. Katara rolled up 'Scotch's sleeve to reveal a red spot. "I can help..." Katara said and looked up at 'Scotch's face. 'Scotch nodded, letting Katara know she'll let her. Katara put her hand over the girl's arm and, after a minute, the burn was gone.

"Well... You guys win two ta one, so you can have our clothes. But I don't think they'd be a good fit - I can get some that'll fit better. It's the least I can do for ya, after helpin' my sista," Vissie said.

"Do it. We'll stay here and wait, while the three of you find the clothes," Sokka said. Vissie raised an eyebrow questioningly. "We trust you," Sokka replied.

"Okay. Well, I hope ya find your friend," Vissie said and left with his friend and sister.

"Why can't _all_ firebenders be like him?" Sokka asked after a minute.

"Maybe most _are_..." Katara replied. "Just because their government is at war, it doesn't mean that the whole _nation_ is evil."

**---**

**Like it? I wonder if the ending of the chapter is good or not... I kind'a stopped the battle too quickly, didn't I? I mean, everyone surrendering is kind'a weird... And now everyone's friends! How'd that happen?! Or, maybe I'm being too hard on myself and it's actually a good chapter... I hope...**

**I donno where this is going... What would you guys like to see?**


	10. Search for Aang

**Chapter Ten: Search for Aang**

When Zuko heard someone coming, he began shooting fire down the hallway to try to hit them, thinking it was the guard again. "I still have until dawn! I want to be left _alone_ until then!" Zuko yelled.

"Truce! Truce!"

Zuko widened his eyes, knowing that accent, and stopped firebending. "Uncle?!" he asked in disbelief. Iroh stepped in front of Zuko's cell, a grin on his face. Zuko gave him a questioning look and Iroh held up a large ring of keys. "Did you talk to my father?! Am I free to go?! Did you find the Avatar?!" Zuko asked, noticing the uniform Iroh was wearing. It was the only conclusion he could come to - Iroh found Aang, talked to his father, his father realized it was all just a misunderstanding, and let them both return home from exile. Iroh didn't say anything as he found the correct key and began unlocking the door. The look of hope left Zuko's eyes. "What really happened?..." he asked, knowing something wasn't right. Just as Iroh sled the cell door open, several balls of fire came down the hallway, footsteps accompanying them. Zuko hurried out of the cell and the two of them made a run for it in the opposite direction the attacks were coming from. Unfortunately, it was also the opposite direction from which Iroh came.

---

Now dressed in red, Katara wondered where they should look first. "We can't search the _entire_ nation, can we?" she wondered.

"Maybe we should start at the beginning... Where Aang first sat foot," Toph suggested.

"But we don't know where that _is_!" Katara said.

"It shouldn't be too hard to figure out. It's probably safe to assume he came by boat, since we haven't ran into many other flying bison... So we just need to find a dock and go from there," Sokka said.

"That actually sounds like a good idea... I'm impressed," Toph said.

---

"Come out, come out wherever you are... you little brat..." the general mumbled as he lifted a rock and looked under it. "Let's see... How am I going to explain the Avatar when I find him...? 'Oh, Zuko didn't catch him first; they were working together, sir! Yes, how else do you think all of my troops could have been taken out? Why didn't I mention that Avatar before this? Zuko threatened me, sir! He said he had an army waiting for the signal to attack our villages! Apparently he was lying but I _couldn't_ be sure - innocent lives could have been on the line!' Yes... Something like that..." The general noticed a bush several feet away that appeared to be quivering. He smirked, certain the Avatar was behind it, still tied up and trying to get free. _'When I realized that the Avatar wasn't captured along with Zuko, I _knew_ he must have hid somewhere nearby...'_ the general thought.

---

"Uncle, where are we going?!" Zuko asked.

"I don't know. I've never been here before," Iroh said calmly as the two were dodging fireballs while running through the hallways.

"What?! How do you know you're not leading us into a trap?!" Zuko asked angrily.

"Don't worry, Nephew! We'll know if it's a trap or not when we get there," Iroh said with a smile. Zuko frowned at him.

"How in the world did you find me, anyhow?" Zuko asked after a minute, remembering how they had gone their separate ways quite a while ago, and the two of them not even being on this continent at the time.

"Look!" Iroh yelled, pointing toward the door ahead of them. Sunlight was pouring in through a small barred window at the top of the door.

"I'll bet it's locked," Zuko said, trying to get his uncle back to stark reality. Iroh grinned, lifting the ring of keys he had.

---

"Have you seen a short, bald boy, about this tall, and with blue arrows covering his body?" Sokka asked a man. The man shook his head while walking past Sokka, giving the boy a weird look. "Are you sure?!" Sokka called after him. The man kept walking.

"Well, this is the third dock we've been to, and still no one's seen him..." Katara said.

"I guess we'll have to keep following the shoreline until we find a dock where someone's seen Aang," Sokka said.

"I guess..." Katara said tiredly. "Toph, can you bring those fliers I made?"

"_What_? I'm doin' my part. I've been asking people if they've seen him. You carry your own fliers," Toph said and walked away without bringing them, leaving Katara to go back for the papers.

"Toph needs to learn a lesson about _teamwork_," Katara grumbled to herself as she went to get the fliers.

---

"Heh, heh..." the general said with a smirk as he reached for the bush, expecting to find the Avatar behind it. He pushed the foliage aside to discover one of his own soldiers, bound and gagged, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers covered with little red hearts. "Grrr...!" the general growled angrily.

---

Iroh hurried to find the right key and unlock the door, Zuko focused on returning fire. When Iroh got the door open, the two rushed outside and pushed themselves against the door to keep the soldiers from coming out. Zuko used his firebending to weld a section of the door to the wall in order to slow the soldiers down. Afterwards he was breathing heavily. "That's some strong metal..." he mumbled. "C'mon! They'll catch up to us eventually!" he said to Iroh. The two headed toward the shore. _'I'll find you, Avatar... And this time, you _won't_ get away.'_

**---**

**I hope you liked it. **

**Hmm... No idea what's gonna happen next. Some stuff about Zuko in this one. I was originally thinking about having him talk to his father some, but I wanted it to be somewhat canon, so I didn't see how I could pull it off.**


	11. When Paths Meet

**Chapter Eleven: When Paths Meet**

Zuko and his uncle made their way to the dock they first landed at, Zuko leading the way. Since they lost the soldiers, they didn't have to run anymore, Although they were still walking rather quickly, since Zuko was wanting to find the Avatar before he gets away or someone else finds him. That, and it would be harder to find him after dark. "Uncle, I appreciate your help, but I could have gotten out of there, myself. Like I told you before, I think we should go our separate ways... I need to find my _own_ path."

"Zuko, is _this_ your path?! You're good at heart, but you're going down the path of destruction. Do you truly want to capture the Avatar, or are you only pursuing this path to gain your father's love?" Iroh asked, concerned.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "My path is what _I_ choose, Uncle!" Zuko told the man, ending their conversation. Iroh stared after Zuko with a look of doubt.

---

As Sokka, Katara, and Toph headed toward the next dock, Katara caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. _'Was that _Zuko_?'_ she wondered, looking in that direction again, but not seeing anyone.

"Katara, c'mon! We need to try to find him before... they do whatever they might do to him!" Sokka called to his sister. "Besides, it's almost sunset."

"Actually... Maybe we should try looking over here," Katara said and pointed in the direction she thought she saw Zuko.

"Why there?" Sokka asked, confused.

"...Just a hunch..." Katara told him, not wanting to tell him about Zuko until she's sure it was him.

---

Meanwhile, Aang finished cutting through his ropes. Smiling, he began to get up, but then noticed some soldiers close by and ducked back down into the tall grass.

---

"I believe it's time we separate again. This time, don't follow me," Zuko told his uncle.

---

"Sorry, but this is a military-only dock," a soldier told Katara.

"But... My father wanted us to come, so we can learn about what he does," Katara told the man.

The soldier glanced toward Katara suspiciously. "He should know that civilians, even related, are not allowed here," he said, then sighed when seeing Katara's big puppy dog eyes. "Fine... I'll let it slide _this_ time. What's your father's name? I'll call him."

"Uh..." Katara said. At that moment, another soldier approached the dock. He has a fire nation mask over his face. He stares at Katara and the two others for a minute, then turns to the guarding soldier.

_'That was odd...'_ Katara thought. _'Does he know us...?'_

"Name," the guard asked, looking down at his check sheet. Instead, the soldier shot a ball of fire at him, knocking him out. Katara gasped in shock, and Sokka grabbed her hand. She glanced behind her to see Zuko take the helmet off. She then felt a strong tug on her arm as she was pulled behind a bush by her brother.

"Hey!" Katara exclaimed. She was going to say more, but Sokka put a hand over her mouth.

"Shh," Sokka whispered as she tried to free herself. "This is a military port, remember?" Sokka removed his hand when Katara had quit thrashing about. "Besides... That guy who took out the guard may be after _us_ next."

"Incase you didn't notice, 'That guy' was Zuko. - He must have been the one who kidnapped Aang!" Katara whispered.

"So that could mean that Aang's around here somewhere-" Sokka paused for a second. "What a minute. Are you _sure_ it was Zuko?" Sokka asked skeptically.

"Yes! I saw him take off the helmet as we were running. - I'd know that face _anywhere_."

"He _was_ around the same weight..." Toph whispered to them.

_"Stop!" Toph had said._

_He stopped. The blind earthbender was staring in his direction, her ice blue eyes filled with anger. Aang said something, but it was rendered unrecognizable by a gag. Zuko started to run into the woods surrounding the camp. Toph concentrated on the feel of the teen's footprints as they hit the ground._

"It _would_ make sense that he was the kidnapper... But why would he come back to the dock? It doesn't add up!"

"...Maybe Aang never left."

Sokka stared at Toph as he contemplated the possibility. "Maybe Aang broke free when Zuko reached the mainland, and he's searching for him now."

"Then we need to find him before anyone else does," Katara said.

"Someone's coming!" Toph warned them. Sokka and Katara froze, listening.

---

The general from before leaned toward a bush with his arm outstretched. He created fire in his other hand, ready to attack whatever he had heard in the bush. He considered the possibility of it being the avatar, but after last time, he couldn't be sure.

"You!"

The general turned to see Zuko standing behind him.

"Where's the avatar!" Zuko demanded. The general smirked, lighting both of his hands. He had a score to settle with this boy. "Where did you take him?!" Zuko asked.

"To get to him, you have to go through _me_ first," the general told Zuko and shot a ball of fire at him. Zuko narrowly dodged.

"With pleasure..." Zuko said coldly and shot a ball of fire of his own.

Sokka poked his head out of the bush, followed by Katara. "Do you think either of them actually knows where Aang is?" Sokka asked as he watched the two fight.

"I doubt it," Katara replied. Both jumped back as the general was knocked into the bush by an attack.

He quickly noticed the three. "What are you kids doing here?" he demanded.

"Nothin'..." Sokka squeaked. The general sneered at him as he stood. Zuko shot another ball of fire at him, though, and caught the bush on fire. The general shot an attack of his own, charging back to Zuko. Neither firebender seemed to care about the high-pitched shriek that came from behind the bush. On the other hand, the sudden gust of air that put out the fire _did_ draw their attention.

Katara opened her eyes to see Aang in front of her. "Aang! I'm so glad you're okay!" she said and hugged him.

"Are you okay, yourself, Katara? You didn't get hurt, did you? I heard you scream and-"

"Actually... That was me," Sokka said.

"Oh."

"The avatar!" Zuko and the general shouted simultaneously. Aang looked up just as two attacks came toward him. He jumped out of the way just in time.

"Aang!" Katara called to him, holding up his glider. Aang smiled widely as he took it.

Soon, most of the port were aware of Aang's presence. And, although Katara, Sokka, and Toph helped fight, there were just too many soldiers. Fortunately, about half the soldiers were fighting Zuko, instead.

Three soldiers were currently in front of Zuko, readying to attack. Zuko touched his side, widening his eyes when realizing that nothing was there. _'I forgot... They took my swords before throwing me in the dungeon,'_ he thought. He shot some fire at the soldiers as he glanced around for a better area to fight at. He noticed a tree several feet away with two swords - _his_ swords - hanging from a nail. He ran for the tree, the three soldiers following after him while attacking. Using the tree as an advantage, after jumping up to get the swords, he pushed himself off with a flip, flying toward the three soldiers. While in the air, Zuko crossed his arms, lit his hands, and allowed the fire to spread through the swords. Uncrossing his arms, the fire flew outward, toward the soldiers. They shielded themselves from the attack as Zuko went over their heads, landing behind them and then running in the direction of the avatar.

Meanwhile, Aang and the other three were back to back, fighting off soldiers on all sides. "There's too many! We need to find a way out of this!" Sokka said.

Katara widened her eyes as she got an idea. "Aang! You still have that whistle, don't you?"

"This?" Aang asked, holding up the bison-shaped whistle. "Oh! I get it! - You must have taken Appa to find me!" Aang blew on the whistle, then looked around. Appa wasn't in sight. Toph used her earthbending to knock a soldier off his feet before he could attack Aang.

Several other soldiers arrived to help attack. "...This is bad," Sokka stated.

"Run!" Toph yelled. Aang pushed a gust of wind into the soldiers as the other three began to run toward the shore. Aang began to run after his friends, using his airbending to help pick up speed, but had to stop suddenly when Zuko appeared in front of him.

"You're _mine_..." Zuko said with a smirk as he lit his hands for an attack. The sun was sitting directly behind Zuko, producing an ominous glow around the teen and making the flames in his hands look extra bright. Aang widened his eyes, dreadful of what's to come.

**---**

**Sorry I haven't updated in so long... I made this chapter about twice as long as usual, so I hope that makes up for it a little...**

**I guess I started the chapter on the computer in February, and then, awhile ago, I tried working on it on notebook paper, not knowing I already wrote half of it - but I couldn't get into the story again. Until I found what I already wrote - which was way better and had some things in it that I forgot about. So... anyhow... I hope I'll finish it soon. There shouldn't be too much more.**

**I love the ending of this... I have such a pretty picture in my head of Zuko and Aang... I hope you guys can picture it, too, based on what I wrote. (and I hope you get the idea that Aang was too taken by surprise to come up with a way to save himself... It's happening faster than it sounds...)**


	12. Appa Out of Commission

**Chapter Twelve: Appa Out of Commission**

Katara glanced behind her. "Where's Aang?"

"I thought he was right behind us," Sokka said, glancing back, himself.

Katara turned around and began to run back.

"Katara, no!" Sokka called after her. "Aang can take care of himself!" Sokka yelled as he ran after her.

"Time for some butt-kickin'!" Toph said with a smirk as she followed them back.

---

Vissie noticed something near the place he and his friends ran into Sokka and the others. Some type of sound. He stared at the area for a few seconds.

"What is it?" his friend asked.

"I donno... But _somethin's_ goin' on," Vissie said. He turned toward his sister as he said, " 'Scotch, you stay here."

"But _Vissie_...!" Scotch pouted.

"No, 'Scotch. This could be dangerous," he said, then turned to the other boy. "Watch her for me."

The younger boy took 'Scotch's hand and the two watched as Vissie ran off, the boy calling out, "Good luck!"

---

"You're _mine_..." Zuko said sinisterly. Aang widened his eyes as Zuko threw large a ball of fire at him. Aang narrowly jumped out of the way with the help of his glider. Zuko sneered and then yelled, "Hu-augh!" as he again attacked full force. Aang dived to the ground to dodge, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. "Heh. You can't keep this up for long," Zuko said with a smirk. Aang knew he was right. He was too tired from the fighting he's been doing recently. "...And if you attack me, you can be sure it will draw attention to yourself..." Aang glanced around, remembering that it was shear luck that soldiers weren't there at the moment.

---

"Hold it right there!" Vissie yelled.

The two soldiers turned to look his way. "This is none of your concern, boy," one said.

Vissie examined the situation. The two men were tying a large white beast to the ground. Ropes surrounded his furry body, and the ropes were knotted to steaks that were hammered into the hard ground of a cave. The beast moaned as it struggled to free itself. _'This must be what I saw flyin' through the sky!'_ he realized. He glared at the soldiers as he said, with a smirk, "I'm _makin'_ it my concern."

---

"Aang!" Katara gasped when she saw Zuko and Aang. Zuko turned his head toward her for a second, before shooting fire at her. She dodged as Sokka and Toph arrived.

"Are you trying to get me killed?!" Sokka demanded of his sister. "That fireball almost got me! - And it's getting dark already! Shouldn't we find a way to get out of here?!"

Suddenly, Katara smirked. "Zuko... Guess what? The sun's sitting... and it's a full moon."

Surprised, Zuko glanced behind him, toward the horizon opposite the sunset, where a moon was beginning to rise. "Not only that... We're right beside the shore."

A wide, and grateful, smile spread across Aang's face. Zuko noticed it and sneered.

---

The soldiers attacked again, but again Vissie dodged. "Hey, idiots! Don't ya know that fire's easy ta see at night?" he said with a grin. He then used one of his invisible attacks, which caught the soldiers totally off guard. He decided to try sneaking around to where Appa was, which was pretty easy to do, since it was getting too dark for the soldiers to see him very well. And, on the other hand, Vissie was able to keep track of the two soldiers by seeing where their bright, haphazard attacks originated. Unfortunately, just before he made it into the cave Appa was trapped in, the soldiers had an idea. They noticed that one of their attacks had set a little bush on fire, giving light to the small area. They spread fire out over the ground, which gave the desired results. The whole area lit up, and the soldiers noticed the teen right beside them, cutting through one of their ropes with a pocketknife. Vissie cursed under his breath, looking toward the smirking soldiers.

**---**

**Took me awhile to actually start working much on this chapter. I was originally going to have Appa arrive at the beginning, just before Zuko attacked, but then I thought that it might be a little more interesting if something happened to him. So... I hope you guys feel the same way. (by the way, is more than one person still reading this? It still shows that a few people have it on story alert, but I donno if they've left the site since then and just not deleted their accounts or something, or not.)**


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